By Second haying started Monday. The alfalfa and timothy are ready and the weather window is good — clear through Friday at least, which is enough to get the cutting done and the baling started. Dad and I fell back into the rhythm without needing to discuss it: he runs the rake because he can do that seated with less physical demand, I run the swather and the baler. Neither of us acknowledged this arrangement directly. We just showed up and did the things we do.
The garden is in full production — tomatoes, peppers, the dried chili plants Mom grew from the seeds I mentioned, cucumbers still coming, the sweet corn almost ready. I've been canning on weekends. Whole tomatoes, tomato sauce, salsa verde, the dried chiles laid out on screens in the sun behind the barn. The basement larder fills and that feels like a hedge against uncertainty that goes beyond just practical preparation. It's an act of optimism in physical form. We'll eat well this winter because we worked well this summer.
Patience the rescue mare was released to adoption this week. I was there for her last assessment — walked sound, accepted handling from multiple handlers, showed no signs of the anxiety she arrived with in March. Kate at the facility sent me a photograph of the family who adopted her: two kids, a woman about my mother's age, a property near Laurel. They looked like good people. You can tell some things from a photograph.
Made fresh salsa from garden tomatoes, jalapeños, cilantro, white onion, lime. Nothing measured. The kind of thing you make by taste, adjusting until it's right. Ate it with chips for lunch three days in a row. There are weeks when a simple thing is the right thing and this was that week.
The fresh salsa only lasts a few days, but the garden doesn’t slow down to match your pace — tomatoes keep coming whether you’re ready for them or not. With the basement larder filling up and haying taking most of the daylight hours, I needed something fast that would let me put up the cherry tomatoes before they got ahead of me. Pickling them whole felt right: same bright acidity as that bowl of salsa, same garden-in-a-jar satisfaction, but something that would hold through winter alongside everything else we’ve been putting by.
Pickled Cherry Tomatoes
Prep Time: 15 min | Cook Time: 5 min | Total Time: 20 min + 24 hrs resting | Servings: 16 (2 pints)
Ingredients
- 2 pints cherry tomatoes, washed and stems removed
- 1 cup white wine vinegar
- 1 cup water
- 1 tablespoon kosher salt
- 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
- 4 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
- 1 teaspoon black peppercorns
- 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 4 sprigs fresh dill (or 1 teaspoon dried dill)
- 1/2 teaspoon mustard seeds
Instructions
- Prep the tomatoes. Use a toothpick or skewer to pierce each cherry tomato 2—3 times through the skin. This allows the brine to penetrate and prevents the skins from bursting.
- Pack the jars. Divide the garlic slices, peppercorns, red pepper flakes, mustard seeds, and dill evenly between two clean pint jars. Pack the cherry tomatoes tightly into the jars on top of the aromatics.
- Make the brine. Combine the vinegar, water, salt, and sugar in a small saucepan over medium heat. Stir until the salt and sugar dissolve completely, about 3—4 minutes. Remove from heat.
- Fill the jars. Carefully pour the hot brine over the tomatoes, leaving 1/2 inch headspace. Tap the jars gently on the counter to release any air bubbles. Add a bit more brine if needed to cover the tomatoes.
- Seal and cool. Wipe jar rims clean, apply lids and rings fingertip-tight, and let the jars cool to room temperature. These are quick pickles — once cooled, refrigerate rather than process in a water bath.
- Rest before eating. Refrigerate for at least 24 hours before opening to allow the flavors to develop. They improve further after 48—72 hours.
Nutrition (per serving)
Calories: 18 | Protein: 0g | Fat: 0g | Carbs: 4g | Fiber: 1g | Sodium: 220mg